छार बाचाला नियाम — Sheshi Kham Scripture Portions (Nepal)
Overview
छार बाचाला नियाम ("The New Testament Books in Sheshi Kham Language") is a 5-book scripture portions edition — Matthew, Mark, John, Acts, and Philemon — in the Sheshi Kham language of mid-western Nepal, published by The Word for the World South Asia in partnership with the Sheshi Kham Translation Project, Nepal (copyright ©2025 TWFTW International and Sheshi Kham Translation Project) and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 4468; abbreviation: NTSKm25). This is among the most recently uploaded translations in the collection. Literacy and orthography work has been conducted in parallel by Lite Nepal; Gospel audio recordings are available through Global Recordings Network.
Language and People
Sheshi Kham (ISO 639-3: kip) is a Tibeto-Burman language: Sino-Tibetan → Tibeto-Burman → Magaric (Magar-Kham group), also discussed in the context of the Himalayish and Mahakiranti proposals. The Kham languages are related to but distinct from the Magar languages — Kham shares only 44% lexical similarity with Magar and 38% with Chepang. Written in Devanagari script.
Sheshi is the southernmost dialect of the Kham dialect cluster, geographically separated from the northern Kham dialects by Nepali-speaking populations — giving it a somewhat isolated character. The Kham dialects also include Gamale, Nisi, Palpa, and others.
The Sheshi Kham community inhabits mid-western Nepal, primarily:
- Baglung District (upper elevations)
- East Rukum District
- Rolpa District (Rapti Zone)
Estimated speakers: approximately 5,100 (Sheshi-specific, Joshua Project); the total Kham Magar speaker count per the 2021 Nepal census is ~91,753. The language is classified as EGIDS 6b (Threatened) — in some communities, parents are shifting to Nepali with their children.
Cultural Context
The Kham Magar people trace origins to a historical kingdom in the Karnali region that fell to Khas rulers around 400 CE. Traditionally pastoral (sheep and goat herders), they now primarily practice subsistence farming (millet, potatoes, maize) in mid-hill terrain. Religious practice is a syncretic mix of Shamanism (shamans called Ramma or Arma are central to cultural life), Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. A major festival is Bhume (weeklong, first week of Ashadh/June–July). Major clans include Budha/Budhathoki, Gharti, Pun, and Roka.
Publishing and Organizations
Published by The Word for the World South Asia (TWFTW South Asia), a regional body of The Word for the World International, in partnership with the Sheshi Kham Translation Project, Nepal.